John Paul M. Joaquin Culture 10.03.2022 06:Oct AM EDT

Disney Networks Have Returned To Dish Customers Following ‘Tentative’ Deal Creation

Disney's 17 networks are now back on Dish/Sling TV.

Dish/Sling TV had reportedly made a "tentative" deal with Disney after the latter company pulled out 17 Disney channels from the former's services last week over a carriage disagreement, per Engadget.

Dish customers can now enjoy all 17 pulled-out Disney channels again, but it is uncertain if they are at risk of being removed from Dish /Sling TV in the foreseeable future.

Dish/Sling TV - Disney Handshake Agreement Details

Dish/Sling TV and Disney have reportedly reached a "handshake agreement" that resulted in the restoration of the 17 channels the latter pulled out over a carriage disagreement, per a Deadline article.

These 17 channels that Disney removed include ESPN, FX, the Disney Channel, Free form, National Geographic, BabyTV, and ABC local stations in eight markets, according to a Variety report.

According to a statement from Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution, the "handshake agreement" properly reflects a fair market value and terms for the "unparalleled content" that the Walt Disney Company makes. This deal made restoration possible, at least temporarily, while the two companies are working to finalize a new, hopefully, more permanent one.

The carriage disagreement was caused by Dish's refusal to reach "a fair, market-based agreement" with Disney for continued distribution of the company's networks two days after the Game Show Network was restored on Dish and Sling TV following a similar dispute.

Dish, according to The Wrap, had allegedly accused Disney of asking for nearly $1 billion in additional fees to extend the deal they previously worked with, which expired at midnight PT on Sept. 30.

The company also said that Disney "walked away" from the negotiating table and refused to keep its programming accessible to Dish/SlingTV's customers across the US, per the company's statement.

Disney allegedly did not mention what the $1 billion is for during the talks to renew the contract between the two companies.

The situation got so bad that Brian Neylon, Dish executive vice president and group president, said that Disney was exploiting its market position to increase fees without regard for the public's viewing experience.

"Clearly, Disney insists on prioritizing greed over American viewers, especially sports fans and families with children who watch their content," Neylon added.

He also said that Disney is more interested in becoming a monopolistic power than "providing its programming to viewers under fair terms.

However, Dish has built a reputation for "aggressive negotiations" with networks, which usually includes a willingness to lose a network's service/channels temporarily.

What To Expect In The Future

Although both companies are back on the negotiating table once more, it is uncertain if the new (and hopefully) final agreement will come with a subscription price hike, per The Verge.

Currently, Dish had 9.99 million pay-TV subscribers by June 2022, according to the company's Q2 financial results, which included 7.79 million Dish TV subscribers and 2.2 million Sling TV subscribers.

Meanwhile, a Sling TV subscription costs from $35 to $50 depending on the plan, excluding add-on packages and features, per Tom's Guide. On the other hand, a Dish TV subscription can range from $50 to $93 depending on the desired core package, excluding any additional channel pack, per Dish's official website.